Fort Knox, Ky. — From a field artillery training camp to the ‘Gold Standard’ installation individuals know today, Fort Knox has expanded not only its size but its warfighter training capabilities over its nearly 108-year history.
The installation was originally established in 1918 as Camp Knox, named in honor of Maj. Gen.Henry Knox, who served as the first U.S. Secretary of War and Chief of Artillery in the American Revolutionary War.
Editor’s note: For more on Henry Knox, read Historic Fort Knox: The man behind the namesake, Henry Knox.
While Camp Zachary Taylor was active in Louisville, Kentucky at the time, the area was not conducive for the much-needed artillery training, according to Niki Mills, the Fort Knox Cultural Resources manager. The Army ultimately found its ideal artillery training area near what was then known as Stithton, Ky.
That land became the site for Camp Knox, and the foundation for the installation as it is known today.
Between 1918 and 1932 Camp Knox filed land acquisitions to expand the camp until it became a permanent military post and was renamed Fort Knox. Since then, Mills said, Fort Knox has seen consistent and extensive expansion and evolution.
Significant growth over more than a century includes:
ACREAGE: Camp – Initially, Camp Knox was made up of approximately 30,000 acres of land near Stithton, Ky. Fort – Fort Knox is now comprised of approximately 109,000 acres of land that spans across more than 20 miles over three surrounding counties – Hardin, Meade and Bullitt. Of this land, about 7,000 acres are sectioned off for the cantonment (city) area, and about 102,000 acres are utilized for training.
POPULATION: Camp – By November 1918 Camp Knox’s population reached 625 military officers and 11,391 enlisted personnel. Fort – Fort Knox now stands as the Army’s 20th largest population – out of 174 total locations – and Kentucky’s 17th largest population. The installation caters to a daytime workweek population of about 26,000 and receives upwards of 15,000 additional visitors daily.
MAJOR UNITS: Camp – Mills said as Camp Knox was being established there was a highly transient population and mostly divisional field artillery, and mobilization and demobilization units were stationed at Camp Knox during this time. Fort – Today, major Fort Knox units include V Corps, U.S. Army Recruiting Command, U.S. Army Cadet Command, First U.S. Army Division East, U.S. Army Human Resources Command, 1st Theater Sustainment Command, 84th Training Command, 100th Training Division, Army Reserve Aviation Command, Army Reserve Career’s Group, Medical Department Activity – Fort Knox, Mission and Installation Contracting Command and the 19th Engineer Battalion.
FACILITY SQUARE FOOTAGE: Camp – Camp Knox was originally authorized facilities to maintain the well-being and readiness of a force of 10,000 men. According to Mills, cumulative square footage was likely not calculated during the time due to the fluidity of force numbers and everchanging landscape at the time. Fort – Today, about 18,327,313 square feet of infrastructure make up about 5,500 operational facilities.
PRIMARY MISSION FOCUS: Camp – During its beginning stages Camp Knox was focused almost solely on the field artillery mission. Mills said Camp Knox was one of two camps to establish brigade firing centers in an attempt to enhance field artillery training capabilities. Fort – Fort Knox caters to a myriad of mission sets, meaning community well-being, readiness, governance and Soldier lethality are now at the forefront of installation focus. The official Fort Knox mission statement reads, “Fort Knox enhances Soldier, Family and civilian readiness while integrating base support to enable force projection, training and readiness.”
TRAINING RANGES: Camp – Between 1918 and 1928 Camp Knox established approximately 14 firing ranges and observation points for force training. Of these ranges there were two rifle ranges, one machine gun range, four artillery firing points and approximately seven artillery observation points. Fort – Today, Fort Knox facilitates training for units on and off post utilizing a myriad of firing ranges and observation points. According to Range Branch officials, the installation maintains a total of 147 active range facilities, 65 of which are used for live-fire training and 82 that are used for non-live fire training. This includes 10 artillery-specific firing points, eight tank ranges and one of only two Digital Air Ground Integration Ranges in the Army’s inventory.
From increased acreage and firing ranges to fluctuating populations and major unit shifts, these are some of the major shifts that can be attributed to time and evolution at Fort Knox.
Editor’s Note: The historic information contained in this article was provided by Cultural Heritage Center; Plans, Analysis and Integration Office; Housing Services and Range Branch officials.
Visit Fort Knox News at www.army.mil/knox for all of Central Kentucky's latest military news and information.
| Date Taken: | 01.14.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.14.2026 14:58 |
| Story ID: | 556213 |
| Location: | FORT KNOX, KENTUCKY, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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